Man on sick pay ran ‘rolling’ alcohol shop

Sweden's social insurance agency Försäkringskassan is demanding that a man, convicted of selling alcohol from the back of his van, pay back the full sickness benefits he received during the time he was running his bootleg operation.

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The man, reportedly in his fifties and from the Helsingborg area in southern Sweden, received full sickness benefits from the agency between 2006 and 2007.

The man was receiving full sickness pay, claiming to be unable to work due to poor health. However, at the same time he was running an illegal alcohol shop from the back of his van.

The agency started looking into the case after receiving an anonymous tip alerting investigators that the man was selling alcohol, and that it was believed he had been convicted of the offence.

When agency investigators started looking into the man’s case, they found that according to the ruling, the police investigation had concluded that from 2006 the man had actively been purchasing alcohol to later sell and distribute from his van.

In the ruling, the district court had described his vehicle as a “rolling alcohol shop” and had recognized his activity as a professional operation.

The agency therefore concluded that the man was able to carry out work during the time he was claiming benefits and is demanding he pay back the full amount of 263,000 kronor ($38,800).